Circuit-interrupting mechanism



M. V. CORNICA.

CIRCUI'T INTERRUPTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 192-1.

THIS SIDE u ;5 1,7 6 fiwgzW Q UQI/m'ca =mumuummlmmlmmus Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES MARTIN V. CORNICA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTIN G MECHANISM.

Application filed April 20, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN V. CORNICA, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Circuit-Interrupting Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference bein had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to circuit interrupting mechanism and is embodied in a plug and socket structure for attachment in any usual forni of electric light socket, and is arranged to receive an electric light bulb of usual construction.

The object of my invention is to provide a unitary structure of a form which can be readily inserted in an electric light socket and which can be adjusted to positively open and close one or more circuits periodically at adjustable rates to flash or wink the electric lamps included in the circuit or circuits extended through the device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device with mechanism for maintaining an electric circuit completely open and completely closed at a pair of contacts throughout substantially equal periods in the vibratory action of the device so that the period of circuit closure will of certainty v be of sufficient lengthto illuminate the lamp filaments, and so that the period of circuit interruption will beof certainty of sufficient length to permit the lamp filament illumination to disappear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple form of periodicity adjustment so that the same device may be used for flashing lamps at different rates, lamps having finer wire filaments being adaptable to higher frequencies than those having heavier wire filaments.

Another object of my invention is to so organize the parts of this device that the device may be operated either hanging vertically or lying on its side.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a pivotal and frictional support for the movable electric contact, the riction and current conductivity of which movable contact support will not materially alter to wear.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following specification and claims.

Serial No. 462,884.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the assembled structure;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the structure with cover removed;

Figure 3 is a view looking at the structure from beneath with cover removed;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line H of Figure 3 in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a schematic circuit drawing of the device; and

v Figure 6 illustrates the method of applying the device for the operation of the Christmas tree lamps.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably connect the shell 10 of the plug with the sleeve 11 of the socket through a rigid metallic conductor 12, which, together with the insulating strip 13 and instrument board 14, constitutes rigid attachment means for the plug and socket bases 15 and 16 respectively.

Attached to the central conducting por-.

tion 18 of the plug is an angle plate 19 carrying a flexible contact spring 20, to the free end of which a tungsten contact 21 is attached. Mated with the contact 21 is a second tungsten contact 22 mounted upon the plate 23, which is held in frictional surface contact with a conducting plate 24 by means of a needle point 25 adjustably held in placeby the spring clip 26. The conductin ,plate 24 is electrically connected with the extension plug terminal 28 by means of a conductor 29, the terminal 28 being in turn connected through conductor 30 and the coil of electromagnet 31 with the center terminal 32 of the socket. A forked bracket 33 mounted upon the instrument board 14 carries the armature 35 between prick punch depressions, the armature being provided with pointed-pivots 36 so that it operates freely. The movable end of the armature carries a pair of fingers 38 and 39 adapted in the two positions of the armature to engage the spring wire 40 carried by the movable plate 23. When the armature is attracted by the magnet, the finger 38 engages the spring 40, rotating the plate 23 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 25' and thus separatingtlie contacts 21 and 22 and interrupting the electric circuit. The circuit being interrupted at contacts 21 and 22, the armature is released, and the finger 39 engages the spring wire 10 and rotates the plate 23 in a counter-clockwise direction until the contacts 21 and 22 are re-connected, thus again establishing the circuit. The

periodicity of the device may be altered by shifting the stop 41 which is carried upon a screw 42 in a manner permitting of ready adjustment. The magnet 31 is supported by a bracket 44 in a manner which permits the adjustment of the end of the magnet nearer to or further from the armature 35, which adjustment may also be used to aid in timing the periodicity of the device.

A spring extension terminal 45 is in electrical connection through conductor 16 with .to operate satisfactorily on the amount of current used in an ordinary 25 watt incadescent tungsten filament lamp. The auxiliary circuit, however, may contain lamps or other devices requiring much more current than that for the operation of a single lamp, the

only limit. being the amount of current satisfactorily interrupted at the tungsten contacts 21 and 22. The device is preferably PI'OVlClGtl with a cover member 50, adapted to be sprung onto the edge of the insulating strip 13, which may conveniently be provided with depressions for the receipt of projectons 51 and 52.

It will be noted that in the operation of this device, the contacts 21 and 22 are maintained closed through the slight follow-up action of the contact 21 which is supported upon the spring 20. This insures a contact pressure throughout the closure or the circuit which pressure is controlled by the degree of friction between the contact plates 23 and 24, this degree of friction being readily adjustable b means of the screw 27. It will be notet that through the angular arrangen'ient of the coil 31, and its armature, gravity will act upon the armature for retracting it from the magnet when the device is in either of two positions, that is, with the plug at the top or with the plug at one side. I have found it convenient to mark the cover This side up and to so position the depressions 51 and 52 that the cover can only be put on in one way, thus indicating the proper position for operation when the device is laid on its side, as shown, tor example, in Figure 6.

Although i have shown and described my device with respect to certain details, it is to be understood that these may be modified to some extent without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A device for inclusion in an electric light circuit having a plug at one end, and a socket at the other, comprising in combination a conducting member directl uniting an element of the plug with an e ement of the socket, a pair of electric make and break contacts, and the coil of an electromagnet senially included in a circuit between a second element of the plug and a second ele ment of the socket, and a. pair of branch circuit terminals, one connected to the first-mentioned elements of the plug socket, and the other connected to the conductor included between the other elements of the plug and socket and connected to said conductor at a point between the electric make and break contacts and the coil of the electromagnet, and an armature for the electromagnet adapted to operate the electric make and break contacts.

2. An attachmentafor electric light circuits having a plug at one end and a socket at the other, and comprising in combination an electrical conductor connecting one element of said plug with one element of said Socket, a pair of electric make and break contacts, and the coil of an electromagnet included in the second conductor connecting another element of said plug with another element of said socket, a plate supporting one of said electric make and break contacts, and means to hold said plate frictionally in electrical contact with a conducting portion of the circuit included be tween the second element of the plug and socket, an extension from said plate, an armature t'or said electromagnet having a pair of fingers, one finger. adapted to engage said extension when the armature is attracted, the other linger adapted to engage said extension when the armature is released, the weight of the armature being suflicient to move said plate to unite said electrical contacts when one finger engages said extension, the armature being positioned diagonally to the axis or" the structure so that gravity will act upon the armature when the device is either in alvertical position or in one of its horizontal positions.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of April, 1921.

MARTLI V. CORNICA.

Ji'itnesses alarm V. Gosrarson, EMILE J. Bonncnoxs. 

